Hi all:

I'm heading out tonight to look at a 190d 2.5d (auto) I saw on the street yesterday and am wondering if there's anything in particular I should look for.

In my first view (from the outside only) I noticed the brakes are worn and discs heavily scored, tie rod joints cracked, paint ok, no obvious body rust, play in the wheel bearings, fresh diesel stain under the engine. The driver's side window was not fully up in the rain so I'm wondering if the power windows are okay.

There's ~190k on the odometer and the owner says it's an '87. He said "Make an offer" and from what I've read here, $1200-$1500 range seems to be a good starting point.

Any specific items I should be concerned with on these cars? Is it reasonable to go for the $1200 range?

Many thanks & happy Dieseling
sga

Well, around the 200K mark is pretty much the life span on the trannies in those cars. So, if no rebuild receipt for it being done already, it's time is near.
That sounds like quite a few issues to offer over $1200, and I probably wouldn't go that high. There will be bullet points added if this '87 turns out to be a turbo. Even if it is NA, that 2.5 is a good power plant.
Front end rebuild will be pricey of course, and I wonder how many rain showers it has sat through with the window open. The interior door panels don't age well on these cars.
I never even gave a second thought to the AC working......
I've flat talked myself out of $1200 bucks. How 'bout you?

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Good point about the transmission. I was secretly hoping I could find a 5 speed from a wrecked 190 gasser to replace the auto but that might be a pipe dream. I have no faith in the A/C so that's a gimme.

Most importantly though if you've only talked yourself out of $1200 you're waaaayyyy ahead of a sucker like me ... sometime ask me about the "van project" ...

Check the rockers for rust around the rear jack points, operation of the Climate Control unit will be permanently hobbled by a seized aux. pump.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

If the A/C doesn't work and the seller says that it just needs some freon, more than likely you better plan on cashing in your 401K if you don't work on the system yourself. The climate control systems in the 190D are way more complicated than the W126 systems. I have been into the turbo's and the 2.5 that I just sold and it wasn't fun.

Good luck,
Tom

__________________
1993 300TE
1984 300D
1984 300SD
1976 BMW R90S

Thanks for all the advice! I'm going to pass on this one for what he wants.

sga

My 88 190 d with 250k still wont shift into hwy gear until fully warmed up ,that leaves me riding the feader for about 5 miles.Kind of a quirkey thing to deal with but the trannie otherwize has been good to me.All interior and exterior electrical work fine as well as the motor.Some upper end noise ,tappets ,seem to be worn but keeping the oil changed alittle before 3k seems to help .Owned the car for 14 months so far and Im satisfied with the purchase price of $1200..I prepare for a departure to the junkyard with it if it gets to pricey to fix ,say $800 or more.If you prepare yourself with no sentimental value to a car this old ,your better off.Go find another one and if you pass a year your doing good .Low mileage ,low price equals happier miles.